The present invention relates generally to a building automation systems (BAS). The present invention relates more particularly to a smart communications controller configured to control building equipment in the BAS and to automatically detect a communications protocol for the building equipment.
A BAS is, in general, a system of devices configured to control, monitor, and manage equipment in or around a building or building area. A BAS can include, for example, a HVAC system, a security system, a lighting system, a fire alerting system, any other system that is capable of managing building functions or devices, or any combination thereof. A BAS can include various types of building equipment (e.g., chillers, fans, valves, dampers, etc.) that operate to control conditions within a building space.
Building equipment is often configured to communicate using a particular communications protocol. The communications protocol may depend on the equipment manufacturer, equipment type, equipment model, or other attributes of the building equipment. Different sets of building equipment may use different native communications protocols. When a controller is connected to the building equipment, it may be desirable to configure the controller to communicate using the native protocol of the building equipment.
Determining the native protocol of the building equipment can be time-consuming and costly. For example, a service technician may be required to visit the building and perform a site survey to identify the communications protocols used by the building equipment. Additionally, configuring a controller to use a particular communications protocol can be non-trivial and introduces the possibility of user error. For example, conventional equipment controllers typically use multiple banks of physical DIP switches to set the controller to use a particular communications protocol. In some instances, the communications protocols used by the building equipment may change after the site survey is performed, or the results of the site survey may be incomplete or inaccurate. Any change to the communications protocol may require a physical adjustment to the DIP switches. It would be desirable to provide an equipment controller that overcomes these and other disadvantages of conventional controllers.